8 iPhone Security Apps To Keep Your Data Safe
It's hard enough to keep the outside of your iPhone safe -- let us tally up the number of brand-new iPhone 6s models we've seen sporting cracked screens and chipped corners -- and keeping the information on the inside of these smartphones can be just as hard, if not harder -- especially when the damage is not immediately visible.
With the increased adoption of mobile commerce and mobile banking services, along with malware distributors and hackers becoming savvier and more powerful, smartphone users are more vulnerable than ever.
However, mobile threats don't just concern individual users. They impact organizations large and small with potentially devastating results.
According to a recent survey of 100 global IT leaders by Lookout, a mobile security vendor and research firm IDG, nearly three-quarters of organizations have experienced a data breach as a result of a mobile security issue.
More than eight in ten (82%) said the majority of their corporate data is accessible to users through mobile devices, and a stunning 95% said they believe that data on or accessed by mobile devices brings increased risk of a data breach.
"It's important for organizations to recognize they need to place the same effort and attention to mobile security as they did laptops or even desktops," Aaron Cockerill, vice president of products at Lookout, told InformationWeek. "In terms of technology investments in mobile security, organizations should first recognize that perimeter-based security does not work for a borderless, mobile workplace."
Whether you're using a corporate mobile device, your own device for businesses purposes, or simply using your iPhone for personal shopping, banking, or downloading files, it's important to make sure you've got your information protected.
We've assembled this list of iPhone apps that will help give you piece of mind, and more importantly, protect your smartphone -- and the data inside -- from the prying digital eyes of the malicious Internet set.
Lookout Offers Backup And Security
The app, available in Free and Premium versions (for $2.99 a month) protects against data loss, theft, and other threats that put your personal information at risk. The premium version allows you to manage multiple devices from one account and includes automatic photo backup.
mSecure Password Manager Simplifies Security
This app, which costs $9.99, uses ultra-secure 256-bit blowfish encryption to protect personal information such as account numbers, usernames, passwords and more. It also comes with an auto-backup reminder, an email backup to keep data safe, and a self-destruct option for the time a hacker attempts to guess your password.
Symantec Offers Free VIP Access For iPhone App
The security specialist's app helps protect your online accounts and transactions by providing simple, strong authentication when you sign in to your VIP-enabled accounts. Users can generate a one-time use security code on their iPhone and then enter that code along with a username and password to gain access to accounts.
Kaspersky App Lets You Surf Safely
This free app boasts advanced anti-phishing technology, as well as proactive detection of fraudulent links. To help you avoid inappropriate or undesirable content on the Internet, Kaspersky Safe Browser makes it possible for you to select the categories of content that you'd like to block, and offers support for most popular search engines, including Google, Bing, Yandex, and Yahoo.
Wickr Gives You Full Control Of Your Messages
How many messages of yours are floating around out there when you'd rather have them deleted? Wickr gives you a free end-to-end encrypted text, video, picture, and voice messenger with full sender control. It includes a shredder that will irreversibly remove all deleted messages, images, and video content from your device.
Avira Mobile Security Comes Loaded With Features
This free, feature-rich security app includes an identity checker to monitor your email, address book scanner to check whether your contacts' identities are safe, OS checker to ensure your iOS is up-to-date, and in-app access to Avira Answers, a free tech community. Also included is location tracking on a map for up to five devices.
Private Photo Vault Keeps Snaps Secure
This free app lets you import all the photos from your phone or computer, where they will be kept safely. To access the photos, you will need a pin to access the photos and you'll receive an alert if someone breaks into the account.
SurfEasy VPN Lets You Browse Anonymously
Protect your online privacy, unblock websites and applications, enhance your security on WiFi hotspots, prevent ad tracking, and encrypt all of the data in and out of your device with this impressive free app, which can be installed for free on up to five devices, including smartphones, tablets or computers.